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Job Specification
Position Title: Mental Health Nurse
Job Code: OPSEU - Nurse 2 General, 50052
Job ID: 22046

Purpose of Position:
To provide general and psychiatric nursing care to assigned offenders for the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre. To decrease the utilization of correctional beds by the mentally disordered offender by developing and implementing in facility treatment plans; and by accessing community mental health services for these clients.

Duties/Responsibilities:
1. Accessing community resources to develop and implement discharge/release plans for mentally disordered offenders by: identifying community mental health resources, justice system resources; establishing and maintaining collaborative working relationships with these resources.

2. Coordinating the development of a discharge/release plan for each mentally disordered offender; collaborating in the development of this plan with the Ministry social workers, psychologists probation officers, court support workers, Crowns, defense attorneys, judges, community and hospital based mental health services and the offender encouraging and facilitating existing mental health services to offenders while institutionalized; participating in the evaluation of the program.

3. Providing mental health services to mentally disordered offenders in the facility by: assessing offenders with signs of mental illness; confirming mental health diagnosis with the consultant psychiatrist.

4. Developing tracking mechanisms to keep track of mentally disordered offenders, their progress through the justice systems, and the mental status.

5. Collaborating with the Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Social Workers, Correctional Officers to develop a facility treatment and management plan; implementing this plan by providing nursing services such as administering and monitoring medications, one-on-one counselling, health teaching, general health care, advocating for quick resolution of offender`s charges, arranging for transfer of offenders going for court ordered assessments and documentation for care given.

6. Arranging transfer of certified offenders, unfit offenders, not criminally responsible or treatment order to a schedule 1 hospital, completing ORB reports, representing the facility at ORB hearings.

7. Obtaining existing mental health records from other facilities, communicating with the offender`s family, lawyer, legal representative.

8. Serving as a mental health resource to facility staff by: presenting education programs to facility staff; role modeling interaction skills to facility staff; maintaining up-to-date knowledge of nursing standards and mental health treatment standards.

Knowledge:
Job requires knowledge of general and mental health/psychiatric nursing theory and practice and community mental health resources to provide therapeutic nursing services through the assessment, development, implementation and modification of treatment and care plans which aim to achieve optimum functioning of the offender; knowledge of behaviour management techniques to deal with difficult offender behaviours; knowledge of institutional policies and procedures to ensure safety of offenders through implementation of and adherence to fire evacuation procedures and workplace standards; to apply coordinated and consistent procedures in emergency offender care situations; and to report appropriate observations to multi-disciplinary team that may affect unit programs, offender activities or safety.

Job requires knowledge of relevant sections of related legislation (e.g. the Mental Health Act, Regulated Health Professions Act, Health Care Consent Act, Criminal Code of Canada) to ensure compliance, consistency and to ensure that legislated offender entitlements such as consent to treatment are observed. Job requires knowledge of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and regulations that apply to the work, and knowledge of any potential or actual danger to health or safety in the workplace to ensure compliance when performing supervisory responsibilities.

Staffing and Licensing Requirements:
Current registration as a Registered Nurse in Ontario. Current certification in First Aid and CPR.

Skills:
Job requires excellent reasoning and assessment skills to elicit and interpret information from offenders and other sources, identify strengths and problems, evaluate information and draw conclusions to develop a treatment and care plan. Job requires analytical skills to evaluate offenders` response to planned interventions and to decide in collaboration with multidisciplinary team and offender whether to continue or modify interventions and offender goals considering, for example, therapeutic measures and success levels, offender motivation, family feedback, alternative therapy. Job requires analytical skills to assess emergency situations to decide on implementation of appropriate measures such as the application of restraints or administration of medication. Job requires oral and written communication skills, including terminology pertinent to psychiatric health care to present ideas and develop rationale orally or in writing (e.g. to collaborate with offender and/or advocate on offender`s behalf), multidisciplinary team, significant others, community agencies regarding offender care and discharge plans); to document offender care and progress; to write care plans and clinical summaries. Job requires interpersonal skills to negotiate elements of treatment plan with offender; to counsel offenders; to advise offender and significant others about therapies, explaining possible side effects and expected outcomes to promote education and achievement of offender goals. Job requires tact and discretion to interpret or clarify information about psychological illness and treatment to offender and significant others to deal with problems, complaints or concerns, and to encourage offender compliance with care plans.

Freedom of Action:
Job requires working independently and interdependently within the multidisciplinary team and within institutional, ministry, legislative and nursing practice parameters. Job requires identifying, recording and reporting incidents such as offender assault of staff to the appropriate supervisor. Job requires communicating issues such as non-compliance with nursing standards/institutional procedures to the appropriate supervisor for discussion and resolution. Job requires that work be monitored regularly (e.g. through observation, review of offenders` progress records and meetings.)